Olympus
Olympus is a Japanese company making cameras and other optical products. History Before the cameras The company was founded in late 1919 under the name K.K. Takachiho Seisakusho ( 高千穂製作所, meaning Takachiho Works Co., Ltd.) by Yamashita Takeshi (山下長). The address was Toyotama-gun Yoyohata-chō Hatagaya (豊多摩郡代々幡町幡ヶ谷) in Tokyo. Trademark registrations available in the IPDL trademark database. Same information in Sakai, p.6 of no.20. The founder was previously employed by Tokiwa Shōkai, which provided the financial support for the new company. The chief engineer was Terada Shintarō (寺田新太郎), and the first products of Takachiho Seisakusho were microscopes and thermometers. All the paragraph: see this page and this page of the Olympus official website. Same information in Sakai, p.6 of no.20. At that time, Japan imported all its microscopes (and other instruments), mainly from Germany. The company had the clear ambition to rival, and even surpass, these high precision foreign imports. Olympus has been renowned to this day for its research on medical equipment. The first microscope was released in early 1920, and was sold by Tokiwa Shōkai under its own Tokiwa brand. See this page of the Olympus official website. Same information in Sakai, p.6 of no.20. The trade name Olympus was applied for on the same year 1920 and granted in early 1921. Trademark registration no.0125415, for the name "OLYMPUS" (オリンパス), available in the IPDL trademark database. The trademark was registered for thermometers, microscopes, medical, chemical and optical instruments. The Olympus Tokyo logo was applied for in mid-1931 and registered a little later. Trademark documents available in the IPDL trademark database. The company supplied microscopes to the Japanese Navy and became a "Navy approved factory" (海軍指定工場, kaigun shitei kōjō) in late 1933. Sakai, p.6 of no.20. It offered an apparatus to take pictures with a microscope, consisting of a prism, a basic shutter and a darkbox taking a ground glass or 56×93mm glass plates. Furuya, p.80 of no.20. First camera lenses The company underwent research in camera lenses from about 1934, to diversify its activities. Date: Maitani, "Kamera-zukuri he no bōken"; Sakai, p.7 of no.20; Francesch, p.19. In October 1935, a dependent company, called Mizuho Kōgaku Kenkyūjo (瑞穂光学研究所, meaning Mizuho Optical Research Institute), was set up for this purpose. Sakai, p.7 of no.20. Francesch, p.20, says "Zuiho Optical Institute" but this is a mistake. It was located in the same factory ground, and it was declared as a separate company only because of the rules for the allotment of electric energy. Maitani, "Kamera-zukuri he no bōken". The research on camera lenses was transferred to a new plant in Shibuya in 1936. The company first tried to sell camera lenses alone. Sakurai Eiichi, p.64 of no.20. Prototypes of a 105/4.5, a 75/4.5 and perhaps a 75/3.5 were assembled in mid 1936. Hagiya mentions the 105/4.5 and the 75/4.5 on p.13 of no.20. Sakai mentions the three models on p.7 of the same magazine. Their design was copied on the Tessar, with four elements in three groups, and their designer was Pr. Miyata (宮田尚一) under the supervision of Mr Suzuki (鈴木), chief of the optical department. Pr. Miyata and Mr Suzuki: Sakurai Eiichi, p.64 of no.20. The name "Zuikō" (瑞光) was adopted after a contest open to the company employees; Maitani, "Kamera-zukuri he no bōken"; Sakai, p.7 of no.20; Francesch, p.19. it is a contraction of the first characters of "Mizuho Kōgaku". First cameras The lenses did not sell well and the company decided to make a camera around them, under its own "Olympus" brand. Sakurai Eiichi, p.64 of no.20. Same information in Hagiya, p.13 of the same magazine. It is said that this was suggested to Takachiho officials by Miyazaki Shizuma (宮崎静馬), founder of Proud-sha, who offered to supply the camera bodies. This is how Takachiho launched its first camera, a 4.5×6 folder called Semi Olympus, said to be released in September 1936. Date: Sakai, p.7 of no.20. The body was the same as the Semi Proud and the lens was the only part produced by Takachiho. The company soon began to make its own Koho shutter and its own camera bodies. The Semi Olympus II and the Olympus Standard were the first cameras entirely made by Takachiho, whose prototypes were pictured in advertisements dated 1937. Advertisement in Asahi Camera October 1937, reproduced in , p.62, depicting a prototype of the Olympus Standard and an early Semi Olympus II with a Laurel shutter (predecessor of the Koho). The former, designed by Mr Kitakawa, Sakurai Eiichi, p.65 of no.20. was sold until 1940 and the latter, a much more ambitious project led by Sakurai Eiichi, was abandoned after ten prototypes were made. It seems that the founder Yamashita Takeshi wanted to emulate the German company Carl Zeiss, which made microscopes and camera lenses, among the best of the time, and had entered camera production with the creation of Zeiss Ikon. It is said that he already wanted to make cameras when he engaged Sakurai Eiichi in 1935. Maitani and Sakurai, pp.65–6 of no.20. Francesch, p.20, says that Sakurai participated in the tests of the Zuiko lens in 1936, but Sakurai himself said that his first commitment in the company before designing the Olympus Standard was the development of a revolving head for a microscope. The Tessar was chosen as a model for the Zuiko lens, and the Semi Olympus II and Olympus Standard were positioned as rivals of the Ikonta and Contax. However the company chose to develop its own camera designs instead of copying the German models, unlike most other Japanese companies of the time. In Sakurai's own words, "to make cameras the same as the others was not interesting". Sakurai, p.65 of no.20: "ほかのカメラと同じかっこうをしていたんじゃ面白くない。" Wide aperture lenses Back in autumn 1936, Takachiho received a subsidy of ¥9,000 to develop high aperture camera lenses from Japanese optical glass. Autumn 1936 and ¥9,000: Sakai, p.7 of no.20. The date is given as 1937 in "Orinpasu kamera shisakuki 2-shu", p.59 of the same magazine. Japanese optical glass: Sakurai Eiichi, p.67 of the same magazine. This money was invested in the purchase of optical instruments, including an Askania optical bench installed in 1937. Sakai, p.7 of no.20, showing a picture of the Askania optical bench. The purchase of the Askania bench in 1937 is confirmed by Sakurai Eiichi, p.67 of the same magazine. Three lens designs emerged from this research: the Zuiko 65/2.7 and Falcon 65/2 advertised in 1937 for the Olympus Standard, and the Olympar f/1.5, which would be produced as the Zuiko 50/1.5 and sold to Shimazu Seisakusho for X-ray cameras around 1940. Zuiko 65/2.7 and Falcon 65/2: advertisement for the Olympus Standard dated August 1937, reproduced in , p.62. Falcon f/2, Olympar f/1.5, Zuiko 50/1.5 and Shimazu Seisakusho: Sakurai Eiichi, p.67 of no.20. 1940–1945 The Olympus Six was launched in 1940 in 6×6 format. It was the first of a line of 6×6 folders that would last until about 1957 with the Olympus Chrome Six series. Some of these cameras received a five-element lens called S Zuiko. Takachiho fell under the control of Ataka Shōkai (安宅商会) in 1939, and Chatani Yasusaburō (茶谷保三郎) became the CEO of the company, whereas Yamashita Takeshi resigned on the following year. Sakai, p.7 of no.20. In 1942, the company name became Takachiho Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K. (高千穂光学工業 , meaning Takachiho Optical Industries Co., Ltd.). See this page of the corporate website. Same information in Francesch, p.26, Sakai, p.7 of no.20. Because of the war, dispersal plants were opened in Suwa (諏訪, 1943) and Ina (伊那, 1944), both in Nagano-ken (Central Japan). Francesch, p.26; Sakai, p.7 of no.20. There is a picture of the Ina plant in this page of the corporate website. The Shibuya plant was evacuated to Suwa, in a former textile factory. Sakurai Eiichi, p.66 of no.20; Francesch, p.26. The Hatagaya plant was not evacuated, and it was destroyed by an aerial bombing on May 26, 1945, with all the archives and the microscope production line. Date: Sakai, p.7 of no.20, says May 25; Francesch, pp.27–8, says April 26. This wikipedia page about Tokyo bombings says that there was a large firebombing on May 26. It is said that the production line of the Koho shutter was also located in Hatagaya and was destroyed as well, this is why Olympus stopped the production of camera shutters for a number of years. Francesch, p.28. After the war The production of the Olympus Six camera was resumed in early 1946 in the Suwa plant. Lewis, p.60, gives a month by month account of the production from January to July 1946. It is said that officials from Mamiya visited the Suwa plant on the same year, to sign contracts about the supply of Zuiko lenses for the Mamiya Six bodies. Francesch, p.28. In 1948 was launched the Olympus 35, a 35mm camera with a lens shutter. In 1949 the company adopted the name Olympus Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K. (オリンパス光学工業 , meaning Olympus Optical Industries Co., Ltd.; the official English translation was Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.). In the 1950s there was a TLR vogue in Japan, and Olympus followed the trend from 1952 to 1956 with the 6×6 Olympus Flex. In 1959, after the Rolleiflex Baby Grey had initiated a short revival of the 4×4 format, the company announced the Eye Flex 4×4 auto-exposure TLR, but it remained at prototype level. During the same year 1959 Olympus launched the Pen half-frame camera, designed by Yoshihisa Maitani, the first of a long series. Its compactness and sleek lines were revolutionary at the time, and it could take 72 shots without reloading on a standard 35mm cassette. This time it was Olympus that was setting the trend, and after the Pen many other camera companies began to produce their own half-frame cameras. Olympus was the only one to make a half-frame SLR system, the Pen F, released in 1963. The Pen cameras are still popular today among enthusiasts. OM system 1972 saw the launch of the OM 35mm SLR system. At a time when the clunky Nikon F was still the workhorse of professional photographers, the compact OM system was once again revolutionary. The system incorporated a large line of highly-regarded Zuiko lenses, interchangeable focusing screens, winders and, later, advanced flash units. While never quite challenging Nikon and Canon as the leading choice of professional photographers, Olympus did have a loyal and dedicated following for the OM system, including David Bailey and Lord Lichfield. The OM system has also kept a good reputation among astronomers, macro and micro photographers; this is related to the company's involvement in medical and research equipment. In 1978 Olympus launched its XA line of compact cameras. The XA is probably the smallest true rangefinder camera ever sold and was very popular among photographers as the pocket camera to carry. Into the present Unfortunately, during the mid-to-late '80s Olympus seemed to lose its way as autofocus SLRs took off. Although the company did eventually release an autofocus SLR system it was neither very advanced nor a serious challenge to Nikon or Canon. It changed its orientation and pioneered the concept of the "bridge" camera (an auto-everything SLR with fixed zoom lens) with the IS series. In the early '90s, Olympus had significant success with the compact autofocus point and shoot Stylus (or [µ| µ[mju: ]]) line. It carried on this success at the turn of the century into the digital field. When the digital market took off with the launch of reasonably affordable, compact 2.3 megapixel cameras for consumers, there were only two real options for photographers — the Nikon Coolpix or the Olympus Camedia ranges. Before the availability of affordable (sub-$5k) digital SLRs, Olympus' E series of fixed-lens SLRs, evolved from the earlier analogue bridge cameras, was very popular among serious photographers. The launch of cheaper digital SLRs saw Olympus lose ground again among serious photographers, but recently the E series was developed into an innovative interchangeable-lens SLR system. Without the huge autofocus lens catalogue of Nikon and Canon, Olympus was free to build its system without concessions to an older 35mm-based system. Olympus is the champion of the Four-Thirds full-frame style of SLR rather than the APS-sized sensors Canon and Nikon put into their SLR bodies, which are derived from 35mm film cameras. This allows Olympus to design its bodies and lenses specifically for digital use. The company took its present name of Olympus Corporation (オリンパス株式会社) in 2003, and it continues to innovate and to challenge other manufacturers to do so. Notes Digital Point and Shoot http://static.flickr.com/15/20759010_e8bb06ab4b_t.jpg * Olympus µ 300 (= Olympus Stylus 300 Digital) * Olympus µ 410 Olympus Stylus µ 410 Olympus Stylus 410 (= Olympus Stylus 410 Digital) * Olympus µ 720 SW (= Olympus Stylus 720 SW Digital) * Olympus C-120 * Olympus C-2000 Zoom * Olympus C-2020 Zoom * Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom * Olympus C-3000 Zoom * Olympus C-3020 Zoom * Olympus C-300 Zoom * Olympus C-350 Zoom * Olympus C-4000 Zoom * Olympus C-4040 Zoom * Olympus C-480 Zoom * Olympus C-470z * Olympus C-5050 Zoom * Olympus C-5060 Zoom * Olympus C-60 Zoom * Olympus C-7000 Zoom * Olympus C-700 Ultra Zoom * Olympus C-7070 WideZoom * Olympus C-725 Ultra Zoom * Olympus C-730 Ultra Zoom * Olympus C-740 Ultra Zoom * Olympus C-750 Ultra Zoom * Olympus C-8080 WideZoom * Olympus D-340R * Olympus D-380 * Olympus D-400 (Stylus Digital 400) * Olympus D-510 Zoom * Olympus D-590z DSLR * Olympus C-2500 L * Olympus D-600L * Olympus D-620L / C-1400XL * Olympus E-10 * Olympus E-20 * Olympus E-1 * Olympus E-300 (EVOLT E-300) * Olympus E-500 (EVOLT E-500) * Olympus E-330 (EVOLT E-330) * Olympus E-400 * Olympus E-410 * Olympus E-510 35mm Full Frame SLR * Olympus FTL http://static.flickr.com/24/44931866_d7b07432e2_t.jpg Olympus OM system, comprising: * Olympus OM-X prototype camera * Olympus M-1 (1972) * Olympus OM-1 (1973–74) * Olympus OM-1MD (1974–79) * Olympus OM-1n (1979–87) * Olympus OM-2 (1975–79) * Olympus OM-2n (1979–84) * Olympus OM-2SP / OM-2S (1984–88) * Olympus OM-3 (1983–86) * Olympus OM-3Ti / OM-3T (1995–2002) * Olympus OM-4 (1983–87) * Olympus OM-4Ti / OM-4T (1987–2002) * Olympus OM-10 (1979–87) * Olympus OM-10 Quartz (1980–87) * Olympus OM-20 / OM-G (1983–87) * Olympus OM-30 / OM-F (1983–87) * Olympus OM-40 / OM-PC (1985–87) * Olympus OM-707 / OM-77 (1986–91) * Olympus OM-101 / OM-88 (1988–91) * Olympus OM2000 (1997–) Fixed Lens http://static.flickr.com/118/283418336_8c5efd4299_t.jpg * Olympus 35 I * Olympus 35 II * Olympus 35 III * Olympus 35 IV * Olympus 35 IVa * Olympus 35 IVb * Olympus 35 Va * Olympus 35 Vb * Olympus 35-S * Olympus 35-K * Olympus 35-S II * Olympus Wide * Olympus Wide II * Olympus Wide-E * Olympus Wide-S * Olympus Auto * Olympus Auto B * Olympus Auto Eye * Olympus Auto Eye II * Olympus S * Olympus SC * Olympus 35 LE * Olympus 35 LC * Olympus 35 SP * Olympus 35 SPn * Olympus 35 UC * Olympus 35 EC * Olympus 35 EC2 * Olympus 35 ECR * Olympus 35 RC * Olympus 35 DC * Olympus 35 ED * Olympus 35 RD * Olympus Trip 35 * Olympus XA (1979–85) * Olympus XA-1 (1982–) * Olympus XA-2 (1980-86) * Olympus XA-3 (1985–) * Olympus XA-4 (1985–) Interchangeable Lens * Olympus Ace * Olympus Ace-E Auto Focus http://static.flickr.com/19/22827039_941d3ed32b_t.jpg * Olympus 35 C-AF * Olympus 35 AF-L * Olympus Trip AF * Olympus Stylus Epic (mju) I & II * Olympus Stylus Epic Deluxe * Olympus AZ-1 * Olympus IZM 300 * Olympus IZM 200 * Olympus Infinity SuperZoom 330 * Olympus IZM 220 Panorama * Olympus OZM 110 * Olympus O-Product 35mm Half Frame Fixed Lens http://static.flickr.com/116/271929946_f69239cb27_t_d.jpg Olympus Pen series of compact cameras, comprising: * original Pen (1959–60) * Pen S 2.8 and 3.5 (1960–65) * Pen W (1964–65) * Pen D (1962–66) * Pen D2 (1964–65) * Pen D3 (1965–69) * Pen EE and Pen EE (EL) (1961–68) * Pen EE.S and Pen EE.S (EL) (1962–68) * Pen Rapid EE.S (1965–66) * Pen Rapid EE.D (1965–66) * Pen EM (1965–66) * Pen EE.D (1967–72) * Pen EE.2 (1968–77) * Pen EE.S2 (1968–71) * Pen EE.3 (1973–83) * Pen EF (1981–) SLR http://static.flickr.com/44/189877831_e6268b803e_t_d.jpg Olympus Pen F series of single lens reflex cameras, comprising: * Pen F * Pen FT * Pen FV 120 film 4.5×6 folders * Semi Olympus * Semi Olympus II 6×6 and 4.5×6 folders * Olympus Six * Super Olympus * Olympus Chrome Six I and II * Olympus Chrome Six III A and B * Olympus Chrome Six IV A and B (or RI A and B) * Olympus Chrome Six V A and B * Olympus Chrome Six RII A and B TLR * Olympus Flex I * Olympus Flex BI * Olympus Flex BII * Olympus Flex A3.5 * Olympus Flex A2.8 * Olympus Flex A3.5 II 127 film Interchangeable lens rangefinder * Olympus Standard TLR * Olympus Eye Flex A * Olympus Eye Flex B 126 film * Olympus Quickmatic EE S * Olympus Quickmatic EE M * Olympus Quickmatic 600 APS film * Olympus Centurion / Olympus Centurion S (SLR with fixed zoom lens) * Olympus Newpic XB * Olympus Newpic Zoom 600 * Olympus Newpic Zoom 90 * Olympus Newpic Zoom 60 * Olympus Newpic AF 200 * Olympus i Zoom 75 * Olympus i 100AF * Olympus i snap Lenses Olympus traditionally brands all its lenses with the name Zuiko, a system begun with the very first Olympus camera released, and carried on throughout the various camera formats and systems since then. Bibliography * * Furuya Bukichi (古谷武吉). "Orinpasu no kenbikyō" (オリンパスの顕微鏡, "Olympus microscopes"). Pp.78–80. * Hagiya Takeshi (萩谷剛). "Orinpasu kamera no subete 1: supuringu kamera " (オリンパスカメラのすべて1・スプリングカメラ戦前編, "All of Olympus cameras 1: folding cameras prewar"). Pp.13–5. * * Maitani Yoshihisa (米谷美久). "Kamera-zukuri he no bōken" (カメラ創りへの冒険, "Venturing into camera production"). Volume 1 of [http://www.olympus-zuiko.com/dev_spirits/index.html Haikei — Sekkeisha yori] (拝啓・設計者より, "Dear Sir, from the designer"). Published in the Zuiko Club website, belonging to the Olympus Imaging Corp. * "Orinpasu kamera shisakuki 2-shu" (オリンパスカメラ試作機2種, "Two experimental Olympus cameras"). Anonymous column about the Olympus Standard and Olympus Eye Flex. P.59. * Sakai Shūichi (酒井修一). "Orinpasu no rekishi" (オリンパスの歴史, "History of Olympus"). Pp.6–9. * Trademark documents available in the IPDL trademark database: ** "OLYMPUS" (オリンパス), trademark applied for on 15 September 1920 and registered on 10 February 1921 (no.0125415); ** "OLYMPUS TOKYO" logo, trademark applied for on 2 June 1931 (no.S06-010000), published on 28 April 1932 (no.S07-002353) and registered on 8 August 1932 (no.0236083); ** "OLYMPUS TOKYO" logo, trademark applied for on 2 June 1931 (no.S06-010193), published on 27 September 1932 (no.S07-006799) and registered on 16 February 1933 (no.0240731); ** "OLYMPUS TOKYO" logo, trademark applied for on 2 June 1931 (no.S06-009999), published on 22 June 1933 (no.S08-005077) and registered on 4 October 1933 (no.0246957). * "Zadankai: Orinpasu no michi" (座談会・オリンパスの道, "Conversation: the way of Olympus"). Interview of Sakurai Eiichi (桜井栄一), Maitani Yoshihisa (米谷美久) and Kawazoe Mitsuo (河添光男), by Saeki Kakugorō (佐伯恪五郎). Pp.64–71. Links In English: * History pages in the Olympus corporate site (Japanese version) * Olympus on the English Wikipedia. * Olympus hardware resource page — online repair manuals. * Olympus instruction manuals at Orphan Cameras (including the Olympus Pen, and a few "point and shoot" models). * The unofficial Olympus User Forums — English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. In French : * Cameras and User manuals at Collection Appareils. * Olympus page at Collection G. Even. In Japanese: * Olympus Spirit, a series of articles written by Maitani Yoshihisa, in the Zuiko Club website * Olympus history pages at the Olympus Photo Club website: ** Category index ** Chronological index Category: Japanese camera makers Category: Japanese lens makers * Category: Topography